If you’re one of the millions of individuals opting for faux this year, you may be astounded at the number of artificial trees available on the market. When searching for your perfect tree, we know that delving into species, heights and needle types can be confusing, so we’re here to make it simpler. We spent weeks researching and comparing dozens of artificial Christmas trees to determine that the 7.5-foot Best Choice Products – Premium Spruce is our top pick among the best artificial Christmas trees. It’s quick and easy to set up, looks full and festive, and is easy on your holiday budget at less than one hundred dollars. The branches of this tree sit high off the ground, meaning plenty of room for presents underneath!

The product holds trees up to 7.5 feet tall with trunks up to 4 inches in diameter. Quick Stands use a speed nut design that allows you to easily and quickly push stabilizing bolts into the base of the tree without tediously turning the bolt. Once the bolt makes contact with the trunk, simply tighten the bolt to secure and straighten your tree upright. It's easy as one, two, tree!

If the National Tree and GE picks are unavailable, this Home Accents Holiday tree is a worthy alternative. It’s only 21 percent polyethylene—barely half our pick’s percentage—and up close, the fakey PVC needles that make up most of its foliage are pretty obvious. But its high branch-tip count (2,602 versus our pick’s 1,867) gives it a full, realistic appearance when viewed from across the room, and its greater girth (68 versus 59 inches) will fill even the largest living space. Like our other picks, its lights (750, same as our top pick) can switch between white and multicolored; and as on our GE also-great pick, the light strings connect automatically when you assemble the tree.
The product holds trees up to 10 feet tall with trunks up to 6 inches in diameter. They use a speed nut design that allows you to easily and quickly push stabilizing bolts into the base of the tree without tediously turning the bolt. Once the bolt makes contact with the trunk, simply tighten the bolt to secure and straighten your tree upright. It's easy as one, two, tree! It features a 1-gallon water reservoir and a wide drip lip at the base to prevent any water from getting on your floor if...
Tree stands are designed for trunks of a certain length and diameter. Typically, you use a tree stand designed for a taller tree on a smaller one. The exception is when the trunk is too narrow. For example, a tree stand designed to take a 12-foot tree may only take a trunk that's down to three inches in diameter, any slimmer and you risk the tree falling over.

Some trees, frequently referred to as "living Christmas trees", are sold live with roots and soil, often from a plant nursery, to be stored at nurseries in planters or planted later outdoors and enjoyed (and often decorated) for years or decades. Others are produced in a container and sometimes as topiary for a porch or patio. However, when done improperly, the combination of root loss caused by digging, and the indoor environment of high temperature and low humidity is very detrimental to the tree's health; additionally, the warmth of an indoor climate will bring the tree out of its natural winter dormancy, leaving it little protection when put back outside into a cold outdoor climate. Often Christmas trees are a large attraction for living animals, including mice and spiders. Thus, the survival rate of these trees is low.[88] However, when done properly, replanting provides higher survival rates.[89]

The re-boxed artificial tree of this size is heavy (over 50 pounds), difficult to fit on most shelves, and has a volume comparable to a tank-style water heater. But if you have ample storage space, you don’t have to keep a tree in its original box. Rather, Gurino said, keeping it covered and dry is the main thing. You can separate the sections and flatten the branches as compactly as you can, or keep it whole; just don’t store it somewhere it’ll be trampled or moved a lot. Do cover it with a light plastic painter’s tarp or an old sheet to keep the dust off, or buy a tree bag. And a climate-controlled space (converted basement, storage closet) is always preferable to an attic or garage.

“Let’s face it, this tree stand is made for people who LOVE Christmas. They love it so much that they want to enjoy every minute of it, not ruin it with the stress, squabbles, broken ornaments, broken dreams, and broken relationships that come with putting up a real Christmas tree in one of those pathetic screw-based stands that just flat-out suck. For the past four years, we’ve gotten our 10- to 12-foot trees up, straight, and secure in the German-engineered-and-built Genie XXL in under TWO MINUTES each time. True story. If you insist on a live tree to make the most of your Christmas season, insist on a Krinner Genie XXL to put it in. You won’t be disappointed!”

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Consider using a two-piece wreath to adorn a double-door entry. Start with a wreath that has a sturdy base so it will hold its shape. We used a fresh evergreen here, but a grapevine wreath will work just as well. Cut the wreath in half lengthwise with sturdy wire clippers. Use florist wire to attach evergreen clippings, fruits, and ribbons. Securely hang half of the wreath on each door so the two meet in the center when the doors are closed.
Pre-lit trees make up 90 percent of the artificial trees sold in the US, according to the American Christmas Tree Association; incandescent bulbs still dominate, but LEDs are rapidly making inroads. LED bulbs cost a bit more up front but should last longer than incandescents, in both lifespan and durability terms. However, modern incandescents are more reliable than those of the past, and one burned-out bulb no longer necessarily causes the whole string to go dark. On pre-lit trees, you want roughly 100 bulbs (or more) per foot of tree height; less than that looks a bit sparse. Finally, you shouldn’t pay extra for the fancy flashing patterns that are increasingly common, unless you know you’ll use them. As Larry Gurino of House of Holiday confided to us, “Most people don’t use them—they just want to see them [advertised] on the box.”
^ so in The Lutheran Witness, Volume 83 (1964), p. 548 "the Chrismon (from CHRISt-MONogram) tree", and in James Edgar, Ellen Edgar, A Chrismon Service (1981), p. 2. The word's actual etymology, from Middle Latin (Landulf of Milan, 12th century) crismon, is less than clear: George Henry Lane-Fox Pitt-Rivers, The riddle of the 'Labarum' and the origin of Christian symbols, Allen & Unwin, 1966, p. 28; "I can find no roots, etymology or grounds for the adoption of the word adopted by some Christians, 'Chrismon', which is supposed to mean the 'Monogram of Christ', and which appears in some dictionaries (i.e. Funk and Wagnalis, 1922)."

The debate about the environmental impact of artificial trees is ongoing. Generally, natural tree growers contend that artificial trees are more environmentally harmful than their natural counterparts.[107] However, trade groups such as the American Christmas Tree Association, continue to refute that artificial trees are more harmful to the environment, and maintain that the PVC used in Christmas trees has excellent recyclable properties.[109]

Pre-lit trees make up 90 percent of the artificial trees sold in the US, according to the American Christmas Tree Association; incandescent bulbs still dominate, but LEDs are rapidly making inroads. LED bulbs cost a bit more up front but should last longer than incandescents, in both lifespan and durability terms. However, modern incandescents are more reliable than those of the past, and one burned-out bulb no longer necessarily causes the whole string to go dark. On pre-lit trees, you want roughly 100 bulbs (or more) per foot of tree height; less than that looks a bit sparse. Finally, you shouldn’t pay extra for the fancy flashing patterns that are increasingly common, unless you know you’ll use them. As Larry Gurino of House of Holiday confided to us, “Most people don’t use them—they just want to see them [advertised] on the box.”
Peanuts had become a phenomenon worldwide by the mid-1960s, and the special was commissioned and sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company. It was written over a period of several weeks, and animated on a shoestring budget in only six months. In casting the characters, the producers went an unconventional route, hiring child actors. The program's soundtrack was similarly unorthodox: it features a jazz score by pianist Vince Guaraldi. Its absence of a laugh track (a staple in US television animation in this period), in addition to its tone, pacing, music, and animation, led both the producers and network to predict the project would be a disaster preceding its broadcast.
Categories: Emmy Award-winning programsCBS television specials1960s American television specials1960s American animated filmsAmerican filmsAnimated television specialsChristmas television specialsPeanuts television specialsPeabody Award-winning broadcastsFilms featuring anthropomorphic charactersFilms directed by Bill Melendez1965 television specialsTelevision programs written by Charles M. Schulz
^ Wells, Dorothy (1897). "Christmas in Other Lands". The School Journal. E.L. Kellogg & Company. 55: 697–8. Christmas is the occasional of family reunions. Grandmother always has the place of honor. As the time approaches for enjoying the tree, she gathers her grandchildren about her, to tell them the story of the Christ child, with the meaning of the Christ child, with the meaning of the Christmas tree; how the evergreen is meant to represent the life everlasting, the candle lights to recall the light of the world, and the star at the top of the tree is to remind them of the star of Bethlehem.
The speed nut design allows you to quickly prop up your tree without sitting there, holding the tree for countless minutes as you turn long traditional screws. The product uses a speed nut that quickly positions the locking pins, allowing you to set them with a couple quick turns for an incredibly stable lock. The bases are made of heavy-duty polyethylene that's safe and devoid of any harmful chemicals. Designed for artificial trees, this tree stand fits all size trees with 1-3 inch diameter...
That being said, this NTC tree was even easier to set up than the Best Choice Products tree. It was so easy, in fact, that two people could set it up in under 45 minutes. The hinged branches literally fell into place as soon as we snapped the the three sections of the tree together. Then we did some fluffing and it was ready to go! As mentioned, this tree also left our arms a little bit scratched up after the fluffing process.
Kind of like your preference for toothpaste or what you eat for breakfast in the morning, the Christmas tree you choose will come down largely to personal taste. So, we didn’t get overly technical with our tree comparisons. Instead, we simply considered objective factors like the number of branch tips on each of our top contenders. We took an in-depth look at the material composition of each tree. Then we looked at what it took to assemble and disassemble each one, and considered each tree’s cost.

At only 2 ft. tall the Crestwood Spruce At only 2 ft. tall the Crestwood Spruce Tree is great for tabletop display or for adding holiday cheer to children's or secondary rooms. Trimmed with silver bristle pine cones red berries and glitter this tree is pre-lit with 35 energy-efficient and long lasting multicolor LED lights. It features battery ... More + Product Details Close

Size: The size and width of your tree is an important factor to consider when searching for Christmas tree stands. Standard Christmas tree stands support trees up to 7 feet tall. Check the manufacturer’s guidelines to find out if a stand can accommodate taller Christmas trees. If you do have a taller tree, look for Christmas tree stands with a circular base. A stand with a wide, circular Christmas tree base provides better stabilization, preventing your room’s star attraction from tipping over while also keeping it perfectly aligned.
The stand accommodates large capacity trees up to eight feet tall and six inches wide. The base holds up to one gallon of water, and is supported by a “spill catcher” for the occasional overwatering. To stay in place, the frame contains a stabilizing spike and steel nut screws for smoother assembly. Bonus: The five gold-tone screws are made of wear-resistant hardware, so their exteriors won’t be compromised as you use them through the years. Supplemented by a five year warranty, this is one tree stand that’ll last you for all the occasions to come.
“I was a little worried ordering a Christmas tree online sight unseen. However, based on all the great reviews for this tree, I bit the bullet and ordered. I am 110 percent satisfied with my tree. This tree is very well made and I believe it will last for many years to come. The branches are soft and I love that they are not plastic. All the trees we saw in the stores had plastic branches and were two or three times the price of this tree. It comes very nicely packaged to your door. The branches are all secured with red ribbon. Everything is labeled, so you can easily put it together. I cannot find any fault with this tree and am truly glad I purchased.”
Today’s faux Christmas trees seem anything but fake. Many of them look like they came straight from the farm with options like pine, spruce, Douglas fir and Fraser fir. If you have a vision for the perfect classic look, select a tree that looks just like the real-life version. For something more retro, try a Christmas tree with sparkly silver branches. For a bold and ultra-spirited choice, go with bright red. It’s perfect for more lively office or classroom settings.
The Wayfair Basic Folding Tree Stand is made of durable steel and is designed to fit artificial Christmas trees that measure anywhere from 6’ to 7.9’ tall. This popular stand includes three thumb screws, and its four legs fold flat so that you’re able to easily store it when the holidays are over. It's available in five different sizes, so you can find the best fit for your tree, no matter how big or small it might be.
Testing came in three phases looking at assembly, usage, and stability. During the assembly stage, we always tried to set up the stands without looking at the instructions first. It’s not because all the testers were men–mostly. A Christmas tree stand should last for years and from season to season, instructions get lost. Intuitive design is a must. We used a seven-and-a-half foot tall Fraser fir. After surveying our office and researching the average ceiling height for American households, we decided to get a tree that was no taller than eight feet, but not shorter than seven.
This Downswept Douglas Pencil Slim tree features Feel This Downswept Douglas Pencil Slim tree features Feel Real branch tip technology creating a tree with remarkable realism. These crush-resistant branch tips are molded from real tree branches for an authentic living tree appearance. This tree is pre-strung with 350 Dual Color lights that change from warm white to multicolor ... More + Product Details Close

“I’ve never gotten a Christmas tree because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of picking it out, getting it home, cleaning it up, and disposing of it. But this year my mother-in-law convinced me to finally get one, so I went on Amazon and ordered this gem. It arrived in two days, and was the easiest thing ever. It comes in three parts and quickly clips together. The lights are already strung. So literally all you do is click it together, and plug it in. It’s very easy, doesn’t take long at all, and then there you have the perfect tree. We loved it. It looked amazing, and we will definitely put it up each year.”

Tinsel and several types of garland or ribbon are commonly used to decorate a Christmas tree. Silvered saran-based tinsel was introduced later. Delicate mold-blown and painted colored glass Christmas ornaments were a specialty of the glass factories in the Thuringian Forest, especially in Lauscha in the late 19th century, and have since become a large industry, complete with famous-name designers. Baubles are another common decoration, consisting of small hollow glass or plastic spheres coated with a thin metallic layer to make them reflective, with a further coating of a thin pigmented polymer in order to provide coloration. Lighting with electric lights (Christmas lights or, in the United Kingdom, fairy lights) is commonly done. A tree-topper, sometimes an angel but more frequently a star, completes the decoration.

As we set up each tree with each stand (in the pouring rain), we noted how difficult it was to get the tree into the stand, position it, and fasten the tree inside. We also looked at how hard it was to make adjustments to straighten the tree. We then filled the stand’s reservoir with 1½ gallons of water (or the stand’s maximum, if it was less than this amount), and noted how difficult it was to fill, and how likely it was to overflow or spill onto your floor.
For 100% hassle free setup. Just step on the foot lever until the claws firmly tighten the trunk. No cutting or sawing necessary. Straight every time. No assembly required, no screws to tighten. Holds up to 1.2 gallons of water. With fully automatic water level indicator that takes the guessing out of watering your tree. Fool-proof. 3 year warranty.
A layer of cork on the bottom of the stand protects your floors, which is nice if you have hardwood. The most innovative aspect of this stand is the vertical arms, which can be adjusted up or down to avoid issues with limbs. That’s a much better solution than just cutting them off and taking away some of the fullness of your tree. Santa’s Solution has a 1.5 gallon water reservoir and holds trees as tall as ten feet, with trunks up to 6.5 inches in diameter.
More than a decade ago, the only material used in trees was polyvinyl chloride. Now, on good trees, PVC appears only as the obviously fake filler branches near the tree’s trunk. PVC is cheaper to produce than PE, and it’s also a lot lighter, so the mixed materials help to balance beauty, cost, and weight. All the trees we considered for this guide consisted of realistic PE branch tips around a lighter, cheaper PVC core. Even though all-PVC trees are still widely available, we don’t recommend them. From a distance they look like trees, but up close they look terrible. On the plus side, however, they are cheap: A 6-foot tree shouldn’t cost more than $100. Also, what was once a genuine health concern—the use of lead as a PVC stabilizer—is no longer an issue in most artificial trees sold in the US, according to National Tree Company and the American Christmas Tree Association, which represents artificial-tree companies.
Please note that all tree heights indicated on our website include the tree stand. If you want the tallest Christmas tree your room will allow, we recommend buying a tree that is six inches shorter than your ceiling height to allow some clearance for a tree topper. For example, if you have a standard 8 - 9 foot ceiling, we would suggest a 7½ foot tree. Here are some more tips:

Ultimately though, we think that the 7.5 foot Best Choice Products is the best artificial Christmas tree. (And we promise we weren’t just swayed by the name). It’s got 1346 long branch tips that give it a full and fluffy look, even with its 52 inch width. It also seems to be a slightly lighter green color than the NTC tree, which looks nice with the warm glow of string lights.

This Downswept Douglas Pencil Slim tree features Feel This Downswept Douglas Pencil Slim tree features Feel Real branch tip technology creating a tree with remarkable realism. These crush-resistant branch tips are molded from real tree branches for an authentic living tree appearance. This tree is pre-strung with 350 Dual Color lights that change from warm white to multicolor ... More + Product Details Close
The 12 ft. Snowy Pine is an Artificial The 12 ft. Snowy Pine is an Artificial Christmas Tree from Fraser Hill Farm. This model features a traditional full silhouette with extremely lifelike foliage and all-metal hinged branch construction. A heavily flocked finish was designed to resemble freshly fallen snow that is true to season and produces a natural ... More + Product Details Close